Kevin Williamson’s Initial Plan

In an interview with HalloweenMovies.com during the filming of Teaching Mrs. Tingle, screenwriter Kevin Williamson spoke about his deal to write Scream 3:

“I just agreed this week to start writing it. We just struck my deal, so I guess the other deals are starting to follow. I’ll be done in April, I’m guessing. We’re planning on a December 1999 release.”

At the time, Wes Craven also addressed the sequel’s status on his blog (September 1998), sharing the proposed timeline:

“The plan is for Kevin Williamson to begin writing in January. That will be about the time we finish shooting Fifty Violins (which later became Music of the Heart). While we’re doing post-production on Fifty Violins, Kevin will write. We’ll then begin pre-production on Scream 3 even while we finish pre-production on Fifty Violins! We’ll probably shoot beginning sometime in early May, when both Nev and Courteney are on hiatus (from their TV shows Party of Five and Friends). Right now there is no story that the rest of us know. Supposedly Kevin has an idea, but I don’t think it’s much more than that.”

Neve Campbell’s Uncertain Return

Neve Campbell’s return was initially uncertain, as Craven mentioned:

“We also don’t know if Neve is going to be a part of the movie or not. We think (or hope) that she will be part of Scream 3. I’ve spoken to her once or twice about it, and she expressed a sort of wait-and-see attitude. She wants the script to be ‘just right’ (very, very good). She does have fears about becoming another ‘Scream Queen’, which she feels would endanger her being taken seriously as an actress eligible for other kinds of movies. We’ll have to wait and see.”

Williamson had multiple backup plans for the script:

“I guess she needs to wait to see if she has a character. If she doesn’t want to be in it, then we’ll write it without her. The good thing about Scream 3 is I’ve got three plans. There’s the Sid version, the Sid-less version, and… the bottom line is the story itself doesn’t rely so much on her character. […] It’s not so much about Sidney anymore. It’s about the world that was created with Stab. The story itself thematically works, regardless of who is in it.”

By early 1999, Campbell, Cox, and Arquette were confirmed, but Williamson was out.

In the documentary Still Screaming, it was revealed that Williamson’s original concept focused on a fan club of Woodsboro teens obsessed with Stab who conspired to recreate their own real-life sequel:

“The killers were basically a fan club of Woodsboro kids that had formed because of Stab 1 and Stab 2. They were all doing the killings and the big surprise of the movie was when Sidney walked into the house after Ghostface had killed everyone… and they all rose up. None of them were actually dead and they’d planned the whole thing… The motive was their quest for fame, they were trying to top [Sidney’s] Woodsboro story so they could be the legacy of their hometown.”

Williamson’s original Scream 3 was supposed to return to Woodsboro, keeping its roots intact:

“I wrote this like 35-page treatment for Scream (3). My Scream (3) took place in Woodsboro. And they’re making Stab, but they’re making it in Woodsboro, so the final scene still happened in Matthew Lillard’s house, in Stu’s house. And that was sort of my ending, and mine had different killers. It was a whole different thing. But, once again, it was Bob (Weinstein) really shying away from the teenage killer.”
— Kevin Williamson, Shock Waves Podcast, 2020

Matthew Lillard was originally set to return, likely as a mentor to the killers, similar to Williamson’s later TV show, The Following.

However, due to the Columbine High School massacre, Bob Weinstein rejected the teen-killer storyline, and the script was scrapped.

With multiple projects in hand, including directing Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Williamson had to step away from Scream 3. His departure was not amicable, as he revealed:

“I kind of put my foot down and said ‘enough is enough’. […] It got ugly, as it often does, with Bob [Weinstein] and… a lawsuit. And he started suing me because I held the rights to Scream 3. […] My ticket out of this was ‘I’ll write a movie for you’.”
— Kevin Williamson, Shock Waves Podcast, 2020

The movie he ended up writing? Cursed (2005).

Ehren Krueger was brought in as the new writer, with input from Wes Craven, Laeta Kalogridis, and even Carrie Fisher, who rewrote some of her own lines.

“Some of Kevin’s ideas are still in there. His treatment had to do with the same thing that the movie does now, which is the filming of Stab 3. His original treatment had the story taking place in Woodsboro. I came on and said […] ‘Instead of bringing Hollywood to Woodsboro, let’s take these characters to Hollywood and give them a bigger haunted house to run around’.”
— Ehren Krueger, Fangoria

With the MPAA enforcing stricter content restrictions after Columbine, Scream 3 was toned down:

• Scream 3 used only 10 gallons of fake blood, compared to 50 gallons inScream and 30 gallons inScream 2.
• The studio originally wanted a completely bloodless film:

“The studio was going to do it bloodless, with no violence at all… Wes kind of came in and said, ‘Be serious, guys. Either we make a Scream movie or we call it something else’.”
— Ehren Krueger, Fangoria

“Scream 3 is definitely not a Reader’s Digest condensation of its predecessors.”
— Wes Craven

• Neve Campbell wore a wig because she had long, streaked hair for Drowning Mona. The wig required two hours of application daily.
• Patrick Dempsey was hired the night before shooting began and learned his lines overnight.
• Courteney Cox’s infamous bangs remain a running joke among fans. Even Cox herself isn’t a fan:

“The fact that people say ‘forever on film,’ that is really true and it’s so bad. I was just like, ‘Oh, well, okay… oh God, they don’t look great.’”

• The Paramour Estate in Silverlake, used as John Milton’s mansion, also appeared in Halloween: H20. Also check the Filming Locations Section.

As expected from a Scream movie, Scream 3 is filled with memorable and unexpected cameos, from franchise veterans to Hollywood legends. Here’s a breakdown of all the notable guest appearances:

Franchise Characters Returning in Unexpected Ways

• Beth Toussaint – Voiced Maureen Prescott in haunting visions seen by Sidney. Toussaint also provides the mysterious woman’s voice in the chilling opening scene, a psychological trick played on Cotton Weary.
• C.W. Morgan – Reprises his role as Billy Loomis’ father, Henry Loomis, last seen in Scream (1996). His brief but significant appearance continues the eerie echoes of the past in Scream 3.
• Heather Matarazzo – Introduces a new character, Martha Meeks, the sister of the late Randy Meeks. She delivers Randy’s posthumous videotape, explaining the “rules” of a trilogy.
• Jamie Kennedy – Although Randy Meeks was brutally murdered in Scream 2, Kennedy makes a post-mortem return via a recorded message, explaining horror’s final chapter rules.

Hollywood Royalty and Meta Moments

• Carrie Fisher – A nod to the Star Wars Trilogy. Plays Bianca Burnette, a former actress who works in the film archives at Sunrise Studios. In a brilliantly self-aware joke, her character claims she lost the role of Princess Leia to… Carrie Fisher!
• Kevin Smith & Jason Mewes – Appear as Jay and Silent Bob, their iconic characters from the View Askewniverse, spotted during a studio tour in Scream 3. This meta moment connects Scream to Smith’s film universe, where Scream is also referenced.
• Roger Corman – The legendary B-movie producer, known for his work in low-budget horror and sci-fi, makes a subtle yet fitting appearance as an executive at Sunrise Studios, further tying Scream 3 into Hollywood’s real-life horror legacy.
• Nancy O’Dell – The Entertainment Tonight host has been making recurring cameos since Scream 2, playing a reporter/interviewer, cementing Scream‘s connection to media culture.

Behind-the-Scenes Cameos

• Lisa Beach – The casting director of the Scream films also steps in front of the camera for a quick cameo.
• Lynn McRee – Physically portrays Maureen Prescott, Sidney’s mother, in a more visible way than ever before, appearing in hallucinations and flashbacks.
• Lawrence Hecht – Returns as Neil Prescott, Sidney’s father, briefly seen in Scream 3 as part of Sidney’s emotional arc.

The Director’s Signature Appearance

• Wes Craven – Pulls a Hitchcock-style cameo, appearing as a tourist on the Sunrise Studios tour. In a perfect meta twist, he is guided by none other than Jay and Silent Bob!

• Scream 3 set a record for the most screens for an R-rated film at the time (3,467).
• Opening weekend: $34.7M
• Total worldwide gross: $161.8M
• Second-lowest grossing Scream film (only Scream 4 made less).
• While it received mixed-to-negative reviews, Scream 3 remains a unique entry in the franchise, shaped by censorship, rewrites, and industry challenges.

Science fiction franchises such as Terminator and Alien are homaged by the apparition of Lance Henriksen. In a certain scene, a prop that is very reminiscent of the T-800 endo skeleton appears in his office.

Another nod to comedy is added by the appearance of Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, as Jay and Silent Bob from Smith’s movies. Later, Wes Craven appeared on Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)… directing a Scream sequel.

And speaking on Hollywood’s past, posters of classic movies such as Sunrise (1927), Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) and Kiss Me Deadly (1955) appear.

And speaking on Hollywood’s past, posters of classic movies such as Sunrise (1927), Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) and Kiss Me Deadly (1955) appear.

Hitchcock’s masterpieces Psycho (1960) and Vertigo (1958) have the plots mixed by Sarah Darling, adding some comedy to it – element that continues on Krueger’s script, when it gets a cartunesque tone from Clue (1995) and Scooby-Doo, as the characters become parody investigators and are trapped in a big mansion with secret rooms.

Well, as we’ve mentioned, Scream 3 doesn’t rely on the slasher flicks as the other two, but on thrillers like Se7en (1995), The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Reservoir Dogs (1992).

Well, as we’ve mentioned, Scream 3 doesn’t rely on the slasher flicks as the other two, but on thrillers like Se7en (1995), The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Reservoir Dogs (1992).

The whole “Star Wars” trilogy is covered during the fraternity party. Mickey and Randy argue about “Star Wars” (1977) and “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980). Hallie then brings up the “furry” Ewoks from “Return of the Jedi” (1983).

And speaking on Hollywood’s past, posters of classic movies such as Sunrise (1927), Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) and Kiss Me Deadly (1955) appear.

Science fiction franchises such as Terminator and Alien are homaged by the apparition of Lance Henriksen. In a certain scene, a prop that is very reminiscent of the T-800 endo skeleton appears in his office.

Also, his character name, John Milton, is the same of Al Pacino’s character on The Devil’s Advocate (1997) and the 17th century author of Paradise Lost. In the poem…

“Satan deceives Adam and Eve to choose a temptation over God’s Eden. Their decision leaves them expelled from Eden and forever corrupted. Producer John Milton, in Scream 3 dupes Maureen Prescott into believing that she can become successful in Hollywood by performing sexual favors. In a fashion similar to Adam and Eve, Maureen loses her innocence to false promises of grandeur, receiving only bit parts in Milton’s films during the classic age of the industry. As a result of her corruption by Milton, Maureen embraces promiscuity.”

Well, as we’ve mentioned, Scream 3 doesn’t rely on the slasher flicks as the other two, but on thrillers like Se7en (1995), The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Reservoir Dogs (1992).

Hitchcock’s masterpieces Psycho (1960) and Vertigo (1958) have the plots mixed by Sarah Darling, adding some comedy to it – element that continues on Krueger’s script, when it gets a cartunesque tone from Clue (1995) and Scooby-Doo, as the characters become parody investigators and are trapped in a big mansion with secret rooms.

In closing, it wouldn’t be a Scream movie without the pop culture jokes… The love triangle of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston is very present.

Even the names of the characters, Angelina Tyler and Jennifer Jolie, address to that. But the name combinations don’t stop there: Tom Prinze is a permutation of Tom Cruise and Freddie Prinze Jr.

Other personalities like Connie Chung, Julia Roberts, Salmon Rushdie and Posh Spice are mentioned.

– When Sydney is in the police station, she’s on the phone with the killer on a cell phone. When the killer hangs up, you can hear a dial tone. You wouldn’t be able to hear a dial tone on a cell phone.

– When Gale is eavesdropping on Dewey and Jennifer talking about her, when Dewey says “.. I left out the part where she’s cruel and selfish” his lips clearly aren’t moving.

– When Sarah Darling is in the empty production offices of Sunrise Studios, she is looking for Roman Bridger, the director of Stab 3. However, when Sarah calls for Roman in an office, she clearly says, “Ronan,” not “Roman.”

– When the killer calls Sidney while she is at the police station, the word, “Nokia” is visible on the bottom of the phone. In the next scene it disappears, and then reappears in a later scene.

– When Gale reaches for the voice changer, she has blood on the top of her hand. When she puts the voice changer to her mouth, there is no blood.

– Roman Bridger’s sideburns shorten and lengthen in the final scenes.

– When Dewey unties Gale she lifts her and up and we see rope on her hand. In the next shot the rope is gone.

– Christine gets out of the shower and steps on the towel, but when she gets dressed and starts to walk down the hallway, her feet are still soaking wet.

– After Jennifer’s house blows up, when Dewey fires at Ghostface you can clearly hear 7 shots. Revolvers only hold 6.

– When Sidney jumps out of the window in the Sunrise Studios, and Dewey comes to her, there’s a point where she is looking down, and the camera angle changes to show her looking right at Dewey.

– When Sidney goes through the door that leads to nowhere, she holds on and grips the wall frame. She could not have closed the door from her location because it was almost fully open and out of reach (though some viewers have claimed she could have used her foot).

– When Ghostface is after Christine his knife makes a large hole in the door. When Cotton later approaches the door the damage is a series of narrow slits.

– Kincaid’s collar after putting on his jacket in the “What’s your favorite scary movie?” scene

– When Dewey first gets his gun out of the trailer, you can clearly see it’s a Beretta 92-Compact in a black holster. But throughout the rest of the movie he uses a heavy duty snub (.44?) Revolver in a brown holster.

– On the hot set of Sidney’s room the longest side of the table is flat against the wall with the bed. When Ghostface is thrown from the false door above the set, the table is rotated with its shortest edge against the wall with the bed, making the bed closer, so Ghostface could land on it.

– Sidney is wearing black, high-heeled boots in the middle section of the film, but does not appear to be wearing them while waiting in the police station later in the film when the killer calls her. However, in the last part of the film, when Sidney arrives at the house, she is wearing boots again as she can be seen pulling not one but two guns from them.

– Shape of the cuts on Dewey’s forehead throughout the film.

– After Jennifer’s death, Gale is attacked and uses her leg to push herself and the killer down the basement stairs. They fall in, and it is shown that the door opens inwards, but in the next shot, the door is shown to be closing inwards from the outside.

– In the opening sequence, we see Cotton’s girlfriend Christina step out of the shower. In the next shot, she is wearing perfect makeup.

– You can faintly see the wire going across the screen holding the spinning knife right before it hits Dewey in the forehead.

– When Cotton is on two wireless telephones at the same time, he puts one phone on hold even though the brand and model does not have a hold feature.

– In the “….whoever smells the gas” scene the killer has cut the power to the house, but the pool lights remain on and the fax machine works. A uninterruptible power supply (U.P.S.) is plainly visible next to the fax machine, which may be unusual, but certainly makes it possible for faxes to be received and printed.

– In Sidney’s first scene, she enters 1288* on the alarm-system keypad on the road gate, and then twenty seconds later enters 1288# on the alarm-system keypad inside her house on the wall next to the door. It is entirely possible that 1288* arms the road-gate alarm and 1288# arms the house alarm.

– When Christine is running from the killer, she locks herself in a room. The killer makes a single thin linear hole in the door with his knife, but he then twists the knife, turning it into the circle we see later.

– When the killer chases Sidney through the set, Sidney opens a door that leads nowhere and climbs through it to the side of the set out of view of the camera. The killer would have known the door goes nowhere, but it would not have stopped the killer from opening it. The killer falls because Sidney pulled the killer’s shirt.

– When Jennifer uses her card to gain access to the Sunrise Studio Archives she clearly swipes her card the wrong way.

– When Ghostface throws Tyson off of the balcony, his leg flashes in the bottom-right corner as he lands on a mat.

– When Sidney inspects the newspaper clippings in her police file, it’s clear upon closer inspection that the stories have nothing to do with their headlines.

– After Sidney jumps from the second story window, you can see the ground bounce beneath her as if a padded surface is concealed under the grass.

– Character error: At the beginning Cotton is talking to his publicist Andrea. He is saying he won’t do a cameo for Stab 3 for less than $1 million. But when he is killed and Sidney overhears the news report, the reporter says that he already finished filming his cameo.

– Continuity: There is blood on Roman’s elbow when Gale approaches the coffin in the basement. But it disappears when Gale lifts the coffin lid.

– Incorrectly regarded as goofs: In the final fight between Sidney and the killer, she stabs him in the back with an ice pick. Then she picks up his knife, but only to throw it out of reach. She can be seen removing the ice pick before stabbing him with it a second time.

– Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Jennifer says she is next to die in the script of Stab 3, which Dewey confirms. However, when Jennifer is about to be murdered, she says “You can’t kill me. I’m the killer in Stab 3“. Jennifer is saying what she hopes will stop the killer from stabbing her. In addition, there were three versions of the script, and she might have been the killer in one of them. Also, she may have been the killer in the script and seemingly dead, but not actually dead, like Billy Loomis in Scream.

– Revealing mistakes: Obvious stunt double for Dewey when he falls down the stairs after the killer throws the knife at him

-Revealing mistakes: In the opening sequence when Cotton is murdered, the room he and Christine are in clearly has a skylight in the ceiling, but once Cotton is thrown over the desk and looks up at the killer, there is no skylight. It is because two different opening scenes where shot, and the end of the scene when Cotton is looking up at the killer took place in an entirely different room.